Internship Strategies and Resources Joann J Ordille Avaya

Internship Strategies and Resources Joann J. Ordille Avaya Labs joann@avaya. com April 1, 2006 1

Personal Background of Speaker • Education – BA, Applied Mathematics and Philosophy, The George Washington University • Learned about computer science as an application of mathematics – MA, History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh – MS and Ph. D, Computer Science, University of Wisconsin • Key: Computer Science – is infinitely interesting – provides unparalleled opportunities • Ph. D Employment – AT&T Bell Labs Lucent Bell Labs Avaya Labs Research • Life – Travel: Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America – Sport: long distance road cycling, scuba diving, downhill and cross-country skiing, beginning to race automobiles – Restore antique houses 2

Establishing goals in seeking an internship for a Masters student • Possible goals – Obtaining marketable experience – Expanding knowledge and contacts – Having fun – Making money • Things to target – Preferred subfield, e. g. communications, web applications, database applications – Preferred programming environment, e. g. java • Wider scope of possibilities than Ph. D internships 3

Establishing goals in seeking an internship for a Ph. D student • Possible goals – Working with an expert in your area – Rounding out experts advising you on your dissertation – Experiencing different research environments – Expanding knowledge and contacts – Having fun and making money • Things to target – Preferred research subfield, e. g. networking, testing, programming languages – Preferred working environment, e. g. government lab, communications company, software company – Preferred internship outcome: program, paper • Could be a Masters internship early in your academic work 4

Developing contacts with your targeted employers • More masters level internships are advertised, but it’s still helpful if you can establish contact in the organization • Ph. D level internships are often not advertised, so this can be essential • In both cases, use standard networking techniques: – Network at conferences and professional meetings, career days. – Network through contacts. – Always have a resume and business card available. – Etc. 5

Developing contacts with your targeted employers (Masters) • Use creative networking techniques – Do this well in advance of internship application season – Identify someone in the targeted company through networking contacts, company web sites, company HR office – Ask the person to spend an hour discussing career options with you, preferably in person – Develop a set of questions to discuss such as: • What education and experience are needed? • What do the jobs normally include? • What is the typical entry level job for a masters student? • What is the career development path? – Send a thank you letter. – Later, follow up with an note that you are looking for an internship and ask if the person knows of any opportunities. 6

Developing contacts with your targeted employers (Ph. D) • Use creative networking strategies – Do this well in advance of the internship application season – Identify a researcher who fits your selection criteria (through published recent papers, research lab sites, other networking) – Read the researcher’s recent paper or web site project description – Email the researcher with specific knowledgeable questions or comments – Thank the researcher – Later, follow up with an note that you are looking for an internship and ask if the person knows of any opportunities. 7

Distinguishing yourself at and after your internship • Work independently • Show initiative • Discuss your ideas • Ask for help • Interact with the entire team • Find out early on what the final requirements are: – Working program? – Talk? – Paper? 8

Distinguishing yourself at and after your internship • Time is short! You typically have only 10 -12 weeks. – Plan your project in phases with intermediate checkpoints • Each checkpoint should have some deliverable such as a survey of the area, an analysis, a design, a program • Remember that if you have to give a final talk that will take up your last week – If you fall behind on an intermediate checkpoint, you need to reevaluate your plan with your supervisor/mentor • Can something be shortened or left out? – If you run out of time for an aggressive timeline, the result of your project will be your intermediate deliverable (but you will have a result to show!) 9

Distinguishing yourself at and after your internship • Meet as many people as you can – Ask to speak with other researchers/staff in your area of interest (1 person for 1 hour each week? ) – Attend talks, meetings and other opportunities to network • Continue your relationship with your mentor/supervisor after completing your internship – External mentor to help you with concerns in graduate school – Talk at conferences – Help with eventual job search and references 10

Resources • ACM Internship Listings – http: //www. acm. org/crossroads/resources/internships. html • Research Labs with Participants at this Cohort (additional options for Masters Internships are noted) – AT&T – personal contact best for Ph. D Internships – – – • http: //research. att. com/ (select Join Us) Avaya Labs – personal contact only application route for Ph. D Internships • http: //avaya. com/ (select Avaya Lab on bottom bar, then Locations and Careers) • Masters: http: //avaya. com/ (select Careers on bottom bar) Google • http: //www. google. com/jobs/intern. html IBM – personal contact best for Ph. D Internships • http: //www. research. ibm. com/about/career. shtml (Co-op and summer on right) • Masters: http: //www. ibm. com/ (select Jobs at IBM, then Country, then University) Microsoft • http: //research. microsoft. com/ (select Careers, then Internships) • Masters: http: //microsoft. com/ (select Careers on bottom bar, then Internships) Sandia National Labs • http: //education. ca. sandia. gov/ (select Internship tab, for California positions) • http: //www. sandia. gov/ (select Students, then Student Internship Programs, for New Mexico) 11

Additional Research Laboratories • Additional options for Masters internships at the companies are also provided after “Masters: ” • D. E. Shaw http: //www. deshaw. com/weo. html • Fujitsu Labs • – http: //www. fujitsu. com/us/ (select R&D, then work for us, can also browse the country of interest) – Masters: http: //www. fujitsu. com/ (browse the country of interest) GE Labs http: //ge. com/research/ (select entry level programs) • • • – Masters: http: //ge. com/ (select For Job Seekers, then either Internships and Co-ops or Student Opportunities – Outside of the US) – http: //www. hpl. hp. com/ (select Careers@HP Labs) HP – Masters: http: //hp. com/ (select Jobs at HP, then Students and Graduates) Intel – http: //intel. com/ (select Technology and Research but no explicit internship application info) – http: //intel. com/ (select Jobs on the bottom bar, then Just for Students or search for “Internship”) Lucent – http: //www. lucent. com/work/careerprograms. html#summer NEC – http: //www. nec-labs. com/careers. html – Masters: http: //nec. com/ (select Jobs) Sun – http: //research. sun. com/ (select Internships) – Masters: http: //www. sun. com/corp_emp/zone/internships. html 12

Additional Research Laboratories • • Argonne National Lab (ARL) – http: //www. anl. gov/ (select Careers, then Student Programs) Brookhaven National Lab – http: //www. bnl. gov/education/ (select Education, then Programs) Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) – http: //www. lbl. gov/ (select Education Outreach, then Student Opportunities) Lawrence Livermore National Lab – • • • http: //www. llnl. gov/llnl/education/ (select Education, then Undergraduate/Graduate Opportunities) Oakridge National Lab (ORNL) – http: //www. ornl. gov/ (select Jobs, then Student/Faculty Positions) Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNL) – http: //www. pnl. gov/ (select Jobs, then Student Opportunities) US Army Research Lab (ARL) – http: //www. arl. army. mil/ (select Outreach Programs, then Internship Co-ops) US Naval Research Lab (NRL) – http: //www. nrl. navy. mil/ (select Contact NRL, then Human Resources) – Unclear how to find an internship. Call HR and ask. Institute for Defense Analyses – http: //www. ida. org/ (select Employment, then Interns) – Inquire early (before deadline), because you will need to obtain a security clearance – Also inquire any opportunities in related organizations Note: Fermi National Lab, Los Alamos National Lab, and National Renewable Energy Lab emphasize physical sciences but may take interns in some specialized subfields of computer science. 13

Other Resources • Graduate School Information brochure and other information: http: //www. cra. org/highlights/student. html • How to succeed in graduate school: http: //www. acm. org/crossroads/xrds 1 -2/advice 1. html http: //www. acm. org/crossroads/xrds 1 -3/advice 2. html • Fellowships: http: //cag. csail. mit. edu/~amy/fellowships. html 14